Former Grain Valleyt mayor Steve Gildehaus is charged with stealing thousands from properties he used to manage.

KSHB

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GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) - The former mayor of a northwest Missouri town is charged with stealing money from properties he used to manage.

Grain Valley police say 61-year-old Steve Gildehaus turned himself in Tuesday, posted a $10,000 bond and was released. He is scheduled to be in court July 30.

Court documents say he is charged with stealing more than $44,000 from four duplexes he managed between January 2009, and November 2011. Relatives of the duplexes' owner allegedly discovered Gildehaus did not pay money a trust was owed from the rent paid by tenants.

Buffie Cooley discovered the missing money when taking over her dying father's affairs. "He's a thief," she said of Gildehaus. She still can't believe more than 40 thousand dollars is missing from her father's trust.

She says Gildehaus managed these duplexes for her father for decades but recently took advantage of his failing health.